


Pal-entine's Day

by Megakatze (LaufeiaEvans)



Category: Dalton Academy Series
Genre: Background relationship if you squint, Choose Your Own Adventure, Friendship, Gen, Valentine's Day, and they were roomates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:14:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29279775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaufeiaEvans/pseuds/Megakatze
Summary: Valentine's Day isn't just for couples.
Relationships: Bailey Tipton & Sebastian Smythe
Kudos: 5





	Pal-entine's Day

In all honesty, Sebastian hadn’t expected to do anything for Valentine’s Day. He’d briefly considered trying to obtain a bottle of wine and spend the evening hiding inside his four-poster, watching cheesy romcoms and wallowing in true single guy fashion. But he didn’t feel quite like stooping to that level of pathetic, so he decided instead to just pretend like it was any other Tuesday, pointedly ignoring the sudden onslaught of pink and red decorations all across the Dalton campus.

Still, it was difficult to forget about the holiday entirely, especially when his lunch period was so rudely interrupted by an elaborate serenade courtesy of the Warblers. He made every effort to pretend like he didn’t know exactly who their leads were singing to and ducked out of the dining hall before he could even get through the line. Slipping on his headphones to drown out the sound of the crowd, he headed for the parking lot instead, deciding to skip his next class in favor of getting lunch off campus.

But when he reached his favorite Chinese place a few blocks from Dalton, another thought occurred to him, and he found himself placing a separate order for delivery to Stuart later that afternoon.

He hung around the outside of the building right after class, keenly aware of the fact that he probably did not want to be in the Stuart common room any longer than strictly necessary. But evidently some heavenly being was looking out for him that day, and he managed to retrieve the delivery without running into any disgustingly happy couples or witnessing any gratuitous PDA. Sighing with relief, he finally pushed open the door to his bedroom, ready to settle in for the night without any more reminders that he was alone on a day meant specifically for couples to celebrate being happy together.

He was more than a little shocked, though, to find the coffee table in the center of the room covered with pink and red sweets, a bottle of something that looked suspiciously like pink wine placed artfully in the center.

“I, uh,” Bailey stammered, looking a little nervous where he stood waiting in the middle of the room. He cleared his throat. “I saw you leave,” he explained, looking apologetic. “At lunch. I figured you were upset, you know, about being single today…but there’s no rule that you have to be dating someone to have some good desserts.”

Sebastian stared, his mouth falling open a little in shock. Wordlessly, he held up the takeout bag in his hand, stuffed with more than enough food for the two of them.

“I got Chinese,” he said lamely, finally looking up at Bailey. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “I figured we’d both be here, you know. Might as well have fun with it.”

Bailey beamed. “Guess we had the same thought,” he said excitedly, and Sebastian’s grin widened.

He tossed his bag down on the floor, stepping around the coffee table to sit cross-legged at the end of the couch. Bailey took a seat opposite him, pushing some of the packages of baked goods closer together to make room for the takeout boxes. He had set out a plate for each of them, and Sebastian took his, loading it up with noodles and a few small cake-looking things.

“It’s like our own tradition,” Bailey said with a grin as he reached for the bottle in the middle. It turned out to be _rosé cider_ , and Sebastian fought back a laugh. “It’s like a…” Bailey paused, pursing his lips as he tried to think of something clever. “Pal-entine’s Day.”

Sebastian blinked. “That’s really dumb.”

They locked eyes for a moment, and Sebastian was almost afraid he’d upset him, but Bailey just laughed. “Yeah, I know,” he said with a grimace, and Sebastian let out a breath of relief. “I’ll work on that.”

“Well,” Sebastian muttered, twirling some of the noodles on his fork. “Hopefully this is the last one.”

Bailey shrugged. “For you, at least,” he murmured as he handed Sebastian a glass of cider, sitting back against the couch. He raised his glass in an invitation for a toast, and Sebastian happily accepted it, clinking their glasses together gently.

As he sipped the sweet cider, Sebastian glanced around at the haphazard collection of sweets and takeout boxes they’d amassed for each other. Bailey set down his glass to prepare his own plate, gasping excitedly at the fried rice Sebastian had ordered specifically for him. Unsurprisingly, though, he went for one of the red velvet cookies first, grinning up at Sebastian as he took a small bite, his cheeks dimpling a little with the gesture. Sebastian couldn’t help but smile back.

Maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad tradition to start, after all.


End file.
